Half-Blood Rider
by The Girl of Many Words
Summary: With his parents dead and nothing left for him in Alagaesia, Prentis and his dragon leave to find a life elsewhere. They stumble upon Camp Half-Blood after a long, tiring journey. Soon they settle into a new, slightly more peaceful life among the demigods, but the campers are curious. Curiosity, though, he can handle, until a new danger comes to threaten his new family and life.


**I know that I probably shouldn't be starting ANOTHER story, but I just couldn't help myself. This story was begging me to write it. Anyway, allons-y!**

**Disclaimer: I wish I had come up with those masterpieces, but 'tis not so, sadly. :(**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

He stared into the blue flames of the pyre, tears streaking his face. The large presence of his dragon loomed over him in an attempt at comfort.

_Prentis, _the dragon hummed. _Are you all right? _

Prentis wiped the tears from his face and stood. He wrapped his arms around his dragon's neck, and she gently laid her head on him.

_No, I'm not, but I will be. _he replied. _I just want to leave this place, Nestia, and never return._

_Leave where, young one?_

_I don't care. Anywhere but Alegaesia._

Nestia raised her head and ruffled her wings. Prentis climbed up her leg and rested in the saddle. He checked the saddle bags before securing his legs in the saddle straps. Nestia crouched low to the ground, her wings spread wide, before launching her and her Rider into the sky and over the Great Sea.

. . .

Wind was forced down, startling the kissing couple. The blonde girl jumped away from the rock they were sitting on, and the brown-haired boy pulled a dagger from his boot. A large purple dragon touched down in front of them, an unconscious person on its back.

"What in Hades?!" the boy shouted.

"Let's go get Chiron!" the girl yelled, dragging her boyfriend with her.

The couple ran off through the forest, leaving the dragon behind.

_Prentis, wake up,_ she said.

He shifted in the saddle and reached down to undo the straps. When the straps were undone, he fell out of the saddle, and Nestia crouched down as far as she could so that he wouldn't injure himself. Prentis was unconscious again, and Nestia curled up protectively around him. A few minutes later, the couple came running back with a centaur behind them. The couple stopped, and the centaur galloped to a stop before the great purple dragon. She raised her head and fixed a large violet eye on him.

_Can you please help my Rider?_ she asked. _We have been travelling for a long time, and he is near death now. Please help us._

Chiron was stunned that the dragon could speak. He hesitated before replying.

"Do you mean us no harm?" he asked aloud.

_Only if you mean my Rider no harm._

"I will help, then," Chiron replied. He turned to the couple. "I would ask that the two of you would kindly not speak of this to anyone, at least not until they wish to make her presence known. Now, return to your cabins."

The two campers nodded and ran off. Chiron turned back to the dragon.

"Do you have a name?" he asked.

_Yes. I am Nestia, and my Rider is Prentis._

"All right, Nestia, do you think you could place Prentis onto my back so that I may take him back to camp?"

Nestia stood and flapped her wings. She rose a few feet into the air and gently picked Prentis up off the ground. Carefully as she could, she placed him Chiron's back. Chiron made certain that Prentis was securely on his back before cantering back to the Big House. He knocked on the door and a son of Apollo opened it.

"We need to get this young man inside," Chiron said. "He's dying."

The camper's sleepy eyes were suddenly alert, and he helped get Prentis off Chiron's back. Chiron fitted himself into his magical wheelchair and followed the camper inside. The camper laid Prentis down on one of the open cots in the infirmary, then ran off to find some nectar. He came back and began feeding it to Prentis.

"I can't find any injuries," the camper said. "What happened to him?"

"I don't really know," Chiron said. "This was how I found him."

The camper nodded and continued giving Prentis the nectar. He set the glass down on the bedside table and went to check on the other few campers in the infirmary. Prentis coughed, surprising both Chiron and the son of Apollo. He opened his eyes and tried to sit up. He was far too weak, though, and only succeeded in falling back onto the cot. The son of Apollo rushed back over and handed Prentis the cup of nectar.

"Here, drink this," he said.

Prentis took the cup and began drinking. "Where am I?" he croaked.

"Camp Half-Blood," Chiron replied. "Carter, go check on the other patients."

Carter nodded and walked off. Chiron wheeled over.

"What is Camp Half-Blood?" Prentis asked.

"A special place for children of the gods." Chiron replied.

Prentis snorted. "Gods?"

"Yes, the Greek gods. They aren't just myths."

"Greek gods? I have never heard of them."

Chiron's eyebrows knit themselves together. "Where did you say you are from, my boy?"

"Alagaesia. Where is Nestia?"

"Who?"

"Nestia, my dragon."

"She is still in the woods. I have never heard of Alagaesia before. Where is it?"

"A long way from here. Over the Great Sea. Nestia and I travelled for more days than I could keep track of. I thought we might never see land again, and that we would have a watery grave."

Chiron nodded. He wasn't sure how it was possible, but he knew this young man had to be from another land not found on Earth. Prentis pushed himself up a bit more successfully than his fist attempt and sat up against the wall behind him.

"How did you become so weak, might I ask?"

"Nestia was getting tired. There was no land in sight, nowhere to land or hunt, so I decided to give her some of my energy to keep her going. I was certain we would hit land eventually. Either certain or suicidal, I'm not sure which."

Chiron nodded, and Prentis tucked his hair behind his ears.

"Your ears," Chiron said.

"Yes? What about them?"

"They're pointed."

"My mother was an elf, and my father a Rider who was more elf than human. So naturally I look like an elf, pointed ears an all."

A million questions ran through Chiron's mind, but he settled on one statement. "Well, you should hide those ears, my boy. We have no elves here. Now, get some rest. Tomorrow you can see more of the camp."

Chiron wheeled himself away, and Prentis pulled his hair back over his ears. He decided that he would find some strip of leather in his bags to cover them up later.

_Nestia, are you all right? _he thought.

_Don't worry about me, Prentis. How are you feeling?_

_I'll live. You should go hunt, regain your strength. _

_Shall I bring you some of my kill?_

_No, I've got a feeling that if you show up in the middle of this place, people won't react well. I'll be all right._

_Let me know if you need me, my Rider._

_I will, Nes. _

They left each others minds, and Prentis laid back down on the bed. He took a swig of the nectar and slowly drifted off to his waking dreams.

_His eyes fluttered open. His hands were suspended over his head, and a dirty cloth had been shoved into his mouth as a makeshift gag. He looked around. Beside him were his parents, both strung up much like he was. His eyes widened. _

_Why haven't they tried to escape yet? he thought._

_He gazed into his mother's eyes. They were almost pleading, begging him not to do what he was thinking. _

_We have to get out of here, though._

_Prentis thought and tried to use the Ancient Language in the one way he had been taught not to. A searing pain rent his head in two, and he screamed. He could see his parents struggling against their bonds to get to him, but it was no use. The pain melted away, and his head lolled back. A menacing laugh drifted to his ears. _

_"The Ra'zac were smart, weren't they?" a female voice said from the dark. "I'm glad I was able to learn their lovely little trick. It's great for holding Dragon Riders like the three of you." _

_Prentis jerked against his chains. The voice was so familiar, but he couldn't place it. He tried to wiggle his hands out of the manacles. There was a giggle from the shadows, and a knife went sailing through the air. _

_"Bad, Prentis. There's no escaping here." _

_The knife impaled him in the shoulder, and he screamed again._

Prentis woke with a start, gripping his shoulder. He could almost feel the wound again, but it was just a scar at this point. For a moment he forgot where he was. Then everything came crashing back again. He grabbed the glass of nectar and downed it, then ran off into the forest to find Nestia. She had found a small clearing with a cave to settle in, and he easily found her. Nestia was sleeping.

_Nes. _he said.

She opened one large violet eye and raised her head. _What is it, Prentis? _

_I - I couldn't sleep, not in that place. _

Nestia's lips parted in what could only be a dragon's smile. She lifted her wing, and Prentis curled up next to her stomach.

_Good night, young one._

Nestia dropped her wing in an almost protective way over her Rider.

_Good night, Nes. _


End file.
